Bob Ford

INQUIRER COLUMNIST

Bob Ford is an award-winning sports columnist for the Inquirer. He is a four-time Pennsylvania Sportswriter of the Year, as selected by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. His work has been cited numerous times by Associated Press Sports Editors judges, and he won an Eclipse Award for outstanding coverage of horse racing. Prior to becoming a columnist at the Inquirer, Ford was the 76ers beat writer for six seasons and then a general assignment feature writer with a specialty in Olympic sports. In 1995, he was designated a fellow of the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. Ford has written sports in the Philadelphia area since 1981, when he served as the Phillies beat writer and later as a general sports columnist for the Delaware County Daily Times.

More by Bob Ford

Aside from the fact that it is a spat between guys named Jay and Josh -- which makes it sound more like an argument over a squash hinder at Dartmouth -- there is something we can all learn from the current personnel issues suffered by the Denver Broncos.

As it relates to your Philadelphia Eagles directly, there isn't much there. The chance that Andy Reid would approve or even consider any combination of draft picks and Donovan McNabb for the right to listen to Jay Cutler's whining is so slim that our local head coach would need to squint to see it.

For a good take on the latest goings-on in Denver, read the post from Sam Adams on the site InDenverTimes. We will pause for a moment to ask you to consider subscribing to the site, which is run by former Rocky Mountain News staffers, good journalists who had the poor luck to watch their newspaper fold beneath them. Hey, could happen to all of us. And I know you would support us.

Anyway, Cutler -- who has led the Broncos to zero playoff appearances -- is the anti-Donovan, in many respects. If you wish McNabb were more demonstrative over his career when it comes to taking on the organization, here's a good look at what you've been missing. It is a large ego, surrounded by a football player who has achieved exactly nothing.

And why is Cutler able to create such havoc? Because there is a new coach who doesn't have much leverage yet, so he is being tested. Those who would like to see Andy Reid move on have to remember that the next guy, whoever that might be, would need a couple years to settle into the job. And during that time, there could be chaos. And beyond that time, too.

Say what you will about Reid. Aside from the very brief 2005 acid trip that was Terrell Owens, there is never chaos here. Not a lot of Super Bowl trophies, either, one must admit. But never chaos. The inmates don't run the asylum, the rats don't chase the cat.